Danielle Collins embraced the role of the “villain” during her Australian Open match against Australia’s Destanee Aiava, defeating her 7-6, 4-6, 6-2. Despite the jeers from the crowd, Collins responded by cupping her ear and blowing kisses after securing her victory.
Thriving in the Charged Atmosphere
Despite the hostility, Collins expressed her enjoyment of the crowd’s energy. She explained, “I’ve been doing this my whole life and I love playing in a crowd that has energy, regardless of what side they’re on. It motivates me more, especially when I’m not playing that well. It helped me focus and push through.”
Engaging the Crowd After the Match
After the match, Collins continued to engage the crowd during her on-court interview. She joked, “If I’m out here, I might as well just take that big fat paycheck. We love a five-star vacation, so part of that check is going towards that.” She acknowledged the crowd’s hostility, yet thanked them despite the boos.
A Paycheck for a Luxurious Vacation
For her third-round win, Collins earned 290,000 Australian dollars ($180,000). She humorously remarked, “People who don’t like you… they actually pay your bills.” She added, “My girlfriends and I love five-star vacations. I guarantee that check is going towards our next trip, hopefully to the Bahamas.”
Support from Novak Djokovic
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic praised Collins for how she handled the crowd. He shared, “I loved her response. She handled it really well. I think she was funny, smart… Big fan of what she did.”
Naomi Osaka’s Setback
In other news, Naomi Osaka retired from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to an abdominal injury. Although Osaka had been leading 5-2 in the first set, the injury eventually forced her to withdraw from the match.